Rod Chapman•3 Aug 2017

REVIEW

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI: Review

Name: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI: Review
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

When the crew at sister site Bikesales.com.au needed a support vehicle for their Adventure Bike Comparo, Mercedes-Benz answered the call with a Sprinter 313 CDI…

We've run Mercedes-Benz Sprinters far and wide here at Trucksales.com.au, but we recently pressed one into service for a very thorough test indeed – as a support vehicle for sister website Bikesales.com.au, which was conducting an adventure motorcycle comparison review through outback New South Wales.

Their needs were pretty simple: they required a sizeable van to carry luggage and personal effects for eight people, plus spares for six bikes and room to carry up to two bikes in the event of accidents or breakdowns.

A quick email and we'd secured the use of a brand-new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, thanks to our helpful friends at Mercedes-Benz Australia. The vehicle in question was a Sprinter 313 CDI – a high roof model (add $1864) in a medium wheelbase – and was destined for use as a support vehicle for the brand's Drive Experience drive days. As such it was also finished in Obsidian Black metallic paint, a $2000 option, and sported custom graphics.

While the team wasn't exactly heading into the Red Centre, New South Wales' Willandra Lakes Region is still pretty remote and help isn't just around the corner if things go wrong. So in went plenty of water, jerry cans of petrol and diesel, and a comprehensive first-aid kit with sat-phone.

They also employed the services of Deano from Melbourne-based firm MSR (Motorsport Safety & Rescue) – a trained paramedic who stood ready to reassemble broken bodies if need be.

With a gross vehicle mass of 3550kg the Sprinter 313 CDI can be driven on a standard car licence, and to that end it's really no difficult to drive than your average passenger car.

Those sentiments were echoed by photographers Rene and Stu, who took shifts behind the wheel for the duration of the 1500-kilometre trek.

Not that the term 'shift', which implies a chore, is really an appropriate term here. The Sprinter is renowned for its lively performance and stable, secure ride, along with general road dynamics that belie the van's overall weight and dimensions.

Loads of space

This particular model has nine cubic metres of internal load space. That's plenty to potentially swallow two motorcycles and still have room for all the other gear.

As luck would have it, neither bikes nor bodies were broken over the course of the trip, and so the Sprinter saw duty as a rather extravagant four-wheeled bell hop – which was exactly how the team wanted it.

The Sprinter has in fact dominated the large van landscape for many years. A total of 1331 Sprinters were sold in Australia to the end of June this year (FCAI VFACTS data), while its nearest rival, Renault's Master, has sold 913.

Key to the Sprinter's success is its 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. Pumping out 95kW and 305Nm in this 313 model, the Euro 5 unit delivers a broad spread of torque throughout most of its rev range, while it's impressively quiet and refined for a diesel.

Certainly the van didn't notice the extra weight in the back, which would have barely touched its 1440kg payload limit. The van was fitted with Mercedes-Benz's seven-speed 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission ($2614), which shifts cleanly and smoothly and also has a manual sequential mode.

In the cabin, Mercedes-Benz has achieved an overall feel that is utilitarian yet classy. From the floor lining to the cloth upholstered seats to the expansive dash, everything appears to be durable and easy to maintain.

The Audio 15 head unit has a 14.7cm colour TFT screen but it isn't a touchscreen – the menu system isn't as intuitive as some brands' take on things but with familiarity it works well.

It's a little dated compared to other, more modern offerings, but pairing a phone is relatively straightforward and the sound quality through the twin speakers is good.

Cab storage is good too, the Sprinter having generous door side pockets, a decent glove box, twin overhead shelves and a huge storage area beneath the passengers' seat unit. There are three dash-top trays across the width of the van, the middle one having a lid to keep valuables out of sight and the driver's side one also with USB slot and 3.5mm jack.

The driver's seat is quite basic, featuring all the usual adjustment but no armrest or lumbar support. Higher-grade seats are available as factory options.

Safety first

Safety is also a strength, with the van's comprehensive stability control program encompassing features like traction control, load adaptive control, rollover mitigation and more.

There are airbags for both the passenger and driver, and this test vehicle also had blind spot monitoring and lane keeping assist – both great features when burning long miles on the highway – plus forward collision alert and auto lights and wipers. It's all part of the Mercedes-Benz Driving Assistance Package, which adds $2250 to the bottom line.

Further enhancing safety and occupant comfort is the full steel bulkhead with window ($555); if anything triggers an emergency stop, the last thing you want to think about is tool kit or a full jerry can making a bid for freedom through the front windscreen…

The van also came with a reversing camera and front and rear sensors – a sensible investment in a large van, but an extra $1400. Also included in this test vehicle is Becker MAP PILOT sat-nav ($1405).

The load bay is purpose built for maximum practicality. With 10 sturdy tie-down anchor points, the van features full-height internal wood panel protection and a tough and grippy composite wood floor ($650).

Access is easy via the side sliding door or the rear 50/50 barn doors, the latter opening to 180 degrees. There's just the one interior light and no 12-volt auxiliary power socket.

While this trip featured little in the way of urban environs, its turning circle is surprisingly tight at 13.4 metre kerb to kerb. That's another benefit of the rear-drive format.

By trip's end, the Sprinter had spat out an average fuel economy of 10.4L/100km, which is great considering the good slab of work done on the dirt. Having a rear-wheel drive format the Sprinter was a pleasure to drive on the rough stuff, the ABS and traction control making a good fist of keeping things tidy.

Had conditions dictated, the traction control can be switched off and manual mode employed to give additional control in slippery going.

Summing up

The Sprinter reigns supreme over Australia's large van market for good reason. Tough, with a rugged construction yet a refined interior, it meets exacting commercial requirements for lugging a major load with most of the safety features you'd expect of a passenger car bearing the three-pointed star.

It was a faithful companion for the Bikesales boys on their Big-Bore Adventure Bike Comparo, and never missed a beat as it charged across the NSW outback.

2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313CDI specifications:

Price: $67,232 plus ORC

Engine: 2.1-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo-diesel

Power: 95kW (129hp) at 3800rpm

Torque: 305Nm at 1200-2400rpm

Emissions: Euro 5

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Configuration: 4x2

Front suspension: Coil over shock

Rear suspension: Leaf spring

GVM: 3550kg

Fuel capacity: 75lt

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS and electronic brake force distribution

Safety: Adaptive Electronic Stability Program with ABS, traction control, rollover mitigation, roll movement intervention, load adaptive control, driver and passenger front airbags, crosswind assist and more

Warranty: Three years, 200,000 kilometres

www.mercedes-benz.com.au

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 313 CDI: Review

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